Shiva (horse)

Shiva was slow to mature and did not race as a two-year-old. She made her racecourse debut on 30 May 1998 when she started 7/4 favourite for a maiden race over nine furlongs at Kempton Park Racecourse. Ridden by Kieren Fallon she took the lead two furlongs from the finish and won by two lengths from the Michael Stoute-trained Shalama.[5] The filly subsequently developed injury problems with her knees[2] and did not race again that year.

After ten and a half months off the track, Shiva returned in the Group 3 Earl of Sefton Stakes over eight and a half furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse on 14 April 1999. The race was run on the July Course as the Rowley Mile Course was closed for redevelopment. Despite her lengthy absence and the sharp rise in class she started the 7/1 fourth choice in the betting behind Haami (winner of the Darley Stakes), White Heart (Doncaster Mile) and Handsome Ridge (Prix Perth). After starting slowly she began to make rapid progress in the last quarter mile, took the lead inside the final furlong and won by one and a quarter lengths from Haami.[6] Another significant step up in class followed when the filly was sent to Ireland for the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup over ten and a half furlongs at the Curragh on 23 May. With Fallon in the saddle she started the 100/30 second favourite behind Daylami with the best of the other four runners appearing to be Insatiable (Prix Dollar) and Second Empire (Grand Critérium). She raced in fourth place before overtaking Daylami to go to the front a furlong out and kept on well to win by two and a half lengths.[7] Henry Cecil commented "Shiva has had problems all her life, mostly with her knees, but I asked Maria Niarchos if I could keep her because I thought she would be a Group 1 horse. It is nice to be proved right. She is still a little bit green – this was only her third race – and I would think the Prince Of Wales's Stakes will be next. She should go on improving and will probably get a mile and a half".[8]

Willie Ryan took the ride when Shiva started second favourite behind Chester House in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on 15 June. The filly never looked like winning and came home seventh of the eight runners, twelve lengths behind the winner Lear Spear, a horse she had beaten easily in the Earl of Sefton. Another long break followed before Shiva returned for the Champion Stakes at Newmarket on 16 October and started favourite despite the presence of the 1998 winner Alborada and The Derby winner High-Rise. Ridden by Richard Quinn she stayed on well in the last quarter mile but was beaten into second place by Alborada.

On her first run of 2000 Shiva started favourite to repeat her 1999 success in the Earl of Sefton Stakes but finished unplaced behind Indian Lodge. On heavy ground at Sandown Park on 30 May Shiva started favourite for the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes against seven opponents including Border Arrow and Beat All both of whom had finished third in the Epsom Derby (in 1998 and 1999 respectively) as well as Elle Danzig (Bayerisches Zuchtrennen), Lady In Waiting (Sun Chariot Stakes) and Diamond White (Prix de l'Opéra). After racing second place, Shiva took the lead approaching the last quarter mile and quickly drew eight lengths clear of her opponents. She was eased down by Quinn in the final furlong and came home one and a half lengths in front of Border Arrow.[9] Henry Cecil commented "She is a cracking mare. She must have easy going though. Last year she jarred herself up at Royal Ascot and was four gallops short before she ran in the Champion Stakes where she still managed to finish second. On this showing we now know how to ride her – dominate!".[10]

In the Eclipse Stakes on 8 July, over the same course and distance as the Brigadier Gerard, Shiva was beaten but produced arguably her best performance. Despite being hampered inside the final furlong she finished third to Giant's Causeway and Kalanisi with Sakhee and Fantastic Light in fourth and fifth. Three weeks later she was moved up in distance for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes over one and a half miles at Ascot but finished tailed off in last place behind Montjeu. As in 1999 Shiva took a long break before returning in the Champion Stakes. On her final racecourse appearance, she took the lead half a mile from the finish but faded in the last two furlongs and finished ninth of the fifteen runners behind Kalanisi.